The community of Dumbarton began many years ago as Staples Plantation or Staples Mill. On this land, the Staple family owned and operated a large mill for grinding corn on a nearby pond. After the War Between the States, a man by the name of Major Courtney bought the estate and changed the name from Staples Mill or Staples Plantation to Dumbarton Grange. He chose this name because his uncle, who had raised him, once owned an estate in Scotland named Dumbarton. The road that ran through the estate to the main road, which is now Broad Street, was at that time and is still referred to as Staples Mill Road.
James Branch Cabell made the little mill pond famous by choosing this site as a location to write one of his novels. Later, the estate was purchased by Mrs. Cabell and remained in her possession until 1929, when the land was sold at auction.